Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a spot in the IPL final by crushing the Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted a history-making 254 for 5 in their 20 overs, marking the highest first-innings total ever recorded in an IPL playoff match. Gujarat Titans struggled from the start of the chase and collapsed completely, getting bowled out for 162 in 19.3 overs to send the defending champions straight into another final.
The match turned completely around an unusual incident in the powerplay during Gujarat’s chase. Star opener Sai Sudharsan looked dangerous early on, hitting quick boundaries and trying to keep his team in the hunt for the huge target. But his innings ended in bizarre fashion against bowler Jacob Duffy when his bat slipped entirely out of his hands and crashed directly into the stumps. This unusual hit-wicket dismissal triggered a sudden batting slide, leaving Gujarat reeling at 51 for 5 before the powerplay even finished.
Earlier in the day, Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar played an unbelievable innings to set up the giant total. Patidar hammered an unbeaten 93 runs off just 33 balls, hitting 9 sixes all over the Dharamshala ground to completely take the game away from Gujarat. The performance showed how much the rivalry has grown since the days when Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal led the batting charge against this same opposition. Bengaluru simply ran away with the run rate from the middle overs onward.
Gujarat could not find any rhythm against a disciplined Bengaluru bowling attack. Jacob Duffy finished with figures of 3 for 39, while Rasikh Salam broke the middle order with a double-wicket maiden over. Veteran bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar also made an impact by clean bowling Gujarat captain Shubman Gill early in the innings. Gujarat Titans will now drop down to Qualifier 2, where they will play the winner of the upcoming Eliminator match to see who gets a second chance at the title.